One of college football’s most iconic rivalries is heading for a timeout - and it’s a pause that’s going to feel strange for fans on both coasts.
The annual showdown between Notre Dame and USC, a series that’s been a fixture of the college football calendar for nearly a century, is set to go on hiatus after the 2025 season. According to reports, both programs are now exploring new scheduling options for 2026 and beyond, with Notre Dame reportedly closing in on a two-year agreement with BYU that’s played a role in complicating discussions with USC.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just another rivalry game. This is Notre Dame-USC.
Since 1926, these two blue bloods have squared off in a series steeped in tradition, talent, and legacy. Aside from a brief interruption during World War II and the COVID-shortened 2020 season, they’ve met every year.
Next season’s matchup was expected to mark their 79th consecutive meeting. That kind of consistency - across eras, coaches, and even conference realignments - is almost unheard of in the modern game.
And the pedigree? It’s unmatched.
Between them, Notre Dame and USC have claimed 24 national championships, produced 15 Heisman winners, and sent more than 1,000 players to the NFL - a number believed to be the highest combined total of any rivalry in college football history. From the Four Horsemen to Reggie Bush, Knute Rockne to Pete Carroll, this rivalry has been a living museum of college football greatness.
So why the pause now?
Sources close to the situation point to a mix of scheduling challenges and the evolving landscape of the College Football Playoff. With the playoff expanding and strength of schedule becoming even more critical, both programs are under pressure to optimize their slates.
Notre Dame, as an independent, has to be especially strategic. The Irish are set to open next season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field and continue to maintain marquee matchups with Clemson, while also locking in recent or upcoming series with Texas A&M, Auburn, and Texas.
In that context, the decision makes more logistical sense - but it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow for fans who’ve grown up with this rivalry as a fall tradition.
USC and Notre Dame have long represented more than just football excellence. Their annual meeting has served as a bridge between regions, styles of play, and college football cultures.
It’s a game that’s produced unforgettable moments and shaped national title races. It’s also been a recruiting showcase and a spotlight opportunity for future pros to shine on a national stage.
Now, with both schools charting new courses - USC settling into its Big Ten future and Notre Dame continuing to navigate independence in a shifting playoff era - the rivalry becomes a casualty of the modern game’s scheduling crunch.
Will it return? That remains to be seen. But for now, fans should savor the 2025 edition, because it might be the last time for a while that the Irish and Trojans line up across from each other with decades of history on the line.
In a sport that’s changing fast, this is another reminder that even the most storied traditions aren’t immune.